The Totem is a student publication
produced by students from scratch
during the newspaper class held
during 5th block. The thoughts and
views expressed in this publication do
not necessarily represent the board,
administrators, or faculty and staff
of the school. The Totem is created
for the primary audience: the student
body. Editorial staff make all decisions
with guidance from the adviser. Any
comments, concerns, or letters to the
editor may be mailed to the high school
with full name and date included.

Freshmen Mackenzie Waggoner, Cassandra Davis,
Baileigh McGillivray, and Tristan Herrick draw an
outline for the soon to be completed art mural in
the south wing. Art Club works on the mural every
Wednesday after school. Photo by: Patricia Jones

Explore Your Passions, Yourself,
and Your Future
Hey everyone, it’s Elizabeth Hennessey, the current copy editor
for the newspaper. Being the copy editor means I’m in charge of
everything words, including headlines, captions, and the stories
themselves. I applied to become the copy editor last year because
I am super passionate about writing. I love writing so I found a
class where I could pursue this passion. I believe everyone should
pursue their passion and if you don’t have one, find one.
Shawnee Heights offers an array of opportunities for students
to pursue their passion. Whether you’re a senior or a freshman, do
what makes you happy. High school is a time of experimentation
and finding what you love. Try new things and explore yourself
now, rather than later. If you’re someone who loves sports but has
never taken an art class, try one.
Once in college you’re on your path for adulthood, you follow
strict guidelines to reach your career. But what happens when you
get to college and the profession you’ve always wanted to major

4

in is something that bores you?
High school is your time to
explore what you are interested
in, so you can find something
you want to do for the rest of
your life.
High school is a time to
find your passion. Join clubs,
activities, and classes that will
interest you. Find something
you enjoy so you can get the
most success out of life.
Story by: Elizabeth Hennessey

The Totem | February 2017 | Editor’s Note

Rewind + Play + Remember
The year of 2016 was quite an eventful year to say the least. There is no phrase nor single word
to describe the roller coaster of events America went through in just this past year. Do the negatives
outweigh the positives? Or was the year more good than bad? Or was it split even? You decide. This
list of events helped define the year of 2016.

• Cubs winning the world series in
extra innings
• Warriors blowing a 3-1 lead in the
NBA finals
• First female presidential nominee

We all start here. We walk the halls of Shawnee Heights day by day
not knowing what our future will hold. Some students have big dreams and
some students don’t believe they are going anywhere. Teachers ask you
over and over again what success looks like and how to get there. We write
about how we want a career and a family but if you’re like me then you don’t
know where to start. Shawnee Heights is no ordinary school. Most people
don’t wonder about the past students who have gone on to do incredible
things. If you didn’t know, there have been multiple alumni that have made
success from themselves. They were once students just like us, learning
in the classrooms that we learn in. This feature is important because many
students don’t believe great things can come of themselves when they’re
from a small state. Not only is it possible to become successful, but it’s
been done. As a staff we worked hard this issue to reach out to the people
who were once sitting in your seats and are now making something of
themselves. We as a school could never be more capable.
Story by: Brooklyn Armbruster

6

The Totem | February 2017 | Alumni

S. Scott Mason

1985
After high school,
S. Scott Mason went to
Carleton University in Minnesota. Then Mason moved
to New York to study Law
at the prestigious Columbia
University. He soon became
an attorney in New York,
and while working in the
city, the tragedy of 9/11
occurred.
“I was only a few
blocks away,” Mason said.
“The Governor and the city
coordinated the emergency response, including the
clean up and the building
inspections.” Mason worked
on the 9/11 response parttime in addition to his job.
One of Mason’s specialties
was writing laws and regulations for building safety.
Mason helped make
many changes in New York
such as passing the Skyscraper Safety Law in 2003.
The law pertained to how
skyscrapers were structured safely. Mason had
worked for New York City
for close to 20 years. Once
the mayor, Mike Bloomberg,
had left office, Mason took
a year off. He made some

The Totem | February 2017 | Alumni

“

changes of his own.
“I decided to explore my options.
I worked with small startups and entrepreneurial ventures. I helped provide legal
guidance. I also worked with nonprofit
organizations also known as the Urban
Resource Institute,” Mason said. He also
came across a small business known as
The Brooklyn Press in 2014. He and his
partner decided to work full time with this
business to make it more successful. The
Brooklyn Press is a custom screen print
service for apparel and paper goods that
encourages creativity. At the end of last
year Mason was made the president of The
Brooklyn Press.
Mason was involved in Debate and
Forensics at Shawnee Heights. He says the
programs played a major role in who he is
today.
“To succeed in forensics you have
to know who you are. You have to show

To lead people
you got to love
people.
who you are to make yourself vulnerable so the audience can connect,” Mason
said. He was also involved
in a club that no longer
exists, named Students
Action Education. It gave
students the opportunity to
student teach.
“I have my positions
because of my ability to
connect with people. SAE
taught me that. My advice
for everyone is to be a person people want to work
with. People don’t care
what you know until they
know that you care.”
“Every day is ripe with
opportunities. Each opportunity is a vision that I have
the chance to help bring to
life. Many of these jobs I’ve
had have the opportunity
to affect people for good or
for bad. There is a responsibility that comes with
that. The joys are great, but
the responsibility is even
more significant. I’m always trying to do the right
thing. It’s never about just
completing a project. It’s
about bringing something
to the world to make it a
better place.”

7

“

The Trumps are
like family to me

1994
Brad Parscale left Shawnee Heights on a basketball scholarship and moved out to western Kansas. He eventually ended up in San Antonio, Texas, on
another basketball scholarship. Years later Parscale
started his own company which is now known as
Giles-Parscale Inc., which is now one of the largest
digital agencies in Texas. One of his clients ended up
being Donald Trump.
Parscale was the Digital Director and the head
of media and advertising for Donald Trump’s presidential campaign. Parscale also worked with the online fundraising and finance aspect of the campaign
and even made all of Trump’s TV commercials. Parscale has worked with the Trump’s for eight years. He
originally started to work for them when Trump was
in the real estate business. Parscale’s skill set was
invaluable to Trump during the campaign. It is why

Pascale’s firm — Giles-Parscale Inc. —
was paid $8.4 million by the Trump campaign in July. Most of that money was
spent on digital ads. Parscale’s expertise
is using data to find voters who will relate
to Trump’s message and tailoring ads to
those prospective supporters.
“With over 20 years in the digital
space, Brad has served the Trump Organization in building its digital platform
globally,” Trump said in a statement.
“I think Topeka played a strong
role in who I am,” Parscale said in an
interview with Topeka Capital journalist
Justin Wingerter.”
Story by: Brooklyn Armbruster

Brad Parscale
8

The Totem | February 2017 | Alumni

Kevin Zimmer went to KU for journalism but in
2001 Disney World came to the KU campus to recruit
people to work for the company. Zimmer then moved
to Orlando and fell in love with Florida.
“I was working full time at Disney World as
a boat driver and had picked up a waiting job on the
side. A little old lady sat at my table with a Gatorland
shirt on and I couldn’t stop telling her how much I
loved the family park with rustic atmosphere,” Zimmer said. “When she was done with
breakfast she told me she was the
HR director, she liked my enthusiasm
and could use another gator wrestler
and I should come down and pick up
an application. I did just that, auditioned a week later and stayed for
three and a half years.”
A typical day for Zimmer would include a full day of shows and feedings. He would perform two shows
wrestling 6-7 foot long alligators.
“If I didn’t die, I would then
go on to the next show with a buddy
and we would do a show with audiZimmer also worked
ence participation with scorpions,
for Animal Kingdom
spiders, big snakes, and venomous
where he was part of the
snakes,” Zimmer said.
original team for Winged
Next, Zimmer would perform
Encounter. They would
a gator feeding show where adult
train parrots, toucans,
alligators would jump out of the
and birds of prey using
water to eat whole chickens out of
positive reinforcement.
his hands. Gatorland is one of the
The show is called
few zoos to train crocodiles so, the
Flights of Wonder which
best part of his day was putting on
is a free flying bird show
trained feeding shows with adult
and never been done
Nile, Saltwater, and Cuban crocobefore with the amount
diles throughout the week.
of birds Zimmer’s team
“The best part of working at
was attempting. A free
Gatorland was connecting with kids
flying bird show was a
and showing them reptiles are just
trained group of 20 birds
like other animals. They may need to
to fly a half mile across
be respected, but not feared.”
the park, land at a

1999

specific destination, and then return
back home, which took training and
reinforcement daily.
Two years ago, Zimmer had
the opportunity to be the curator for
a struggling zoo in Sarasota, FL. The
zoo made steps forward, but Zimmer
decided to step away from the animal industry. He now works as solar
installer, but his passion still lies in
the animal field especially crocodiles. Zimmer hopes to get back into
crocodile training in the future and
move it forward any way he can.

Story by: Elizabeth Donaldson

Kevin Zimmer
The Totem | February 2017 | Alumni

9

Nineteen year old,
Katie Emerson is currently attending the Air
Force Academy located in
Colorado Springs, Colorado. She originally went to
become a pilot but since,
has realized she wants
to be a Cyber Officer. A
few additional months
of training will help Emerson achieve her goal
of protecting computer
networks for the Air Force
Systems. Being a Cyber
Officer will allow her to be
stationed anywhere there
is a military base.

2015

Katie Emerson

1988

Brett Criqui
10

10

Stories by: Rebecca Donaldson

Lieutenant Colonel
Brett Criqui is currently
serving as the Military
Assistant to the Assistant
Secretary of the Army for
Manpower and Reserve
Affairs (ASA M&RA),
working in the Pentagon.
While in high school, LTC
was a part of Aviation
Explorer Scouts Post
8. When he was 14, he
learned to fly and by 17 he
had his pilot license. LTC
Criqui served part-time
with the Kansas Army National Guard and worked
as a State Trooper for the
Kansas Highway Patrol.
He was recently invited to
the Inaugural Ball.

The Totem | February 2017 | Alumni
The Totem | February 2017 | Alumni

2007

Douglas Deever has
his medical license and
degree and is currently still
in training for his specialty of Internal medicine.
During college, Deever was
in ROTC, which helped pay
for school. He then became
Commissions Officer and
Lieutenant in the United
States Airforce. After graduating from the medical
school at Creighton University, Deever was promoted
to Captain. Taking Biology
in high school sparked a
medical interest for Deever.

Douglas Deever
In September 2009
Lieutenant Commander
Dan Cnossen was in Afghanistan as a platoon
commander for SEAL Team
One when he stepped on
an IED (improvised explosive device). He lost both
legs just above the knee,
but learned to walk with
prosthetics. For his service,
Cnossen received a Purple
Heart and Bronze Star with
Valor. He is now a member
of the Team USA Paralympic Nordic Skiing National
Team.

The Totem | February 2017 | Alumni
The Totem | February 2017 | Alumni

1998

Dan Cnossen
11

11

When Tom Dinkel graduated he headed to the University of Kansas to play football. Following his collegiate
career, he was selected in the fifth round of the 1978
NFL draft by the Cincinnati Bengals. Dinkel had an
eight year NFL career including a Super Bowl game in
1974
1982. Tom unfortunately took a hit during the game and
couldn’t remember much of what had happened.
“It wasn’t even a hard hit, it was one of those
glances off the side of the helmet with his thigh, and it
knocked me cold for a couple of commercial breaks. In
today’s world they would have strapped my head to a
wooden board and taken me off in an ambulance. But they used a bunch of smelling salts and I finally
came to.” Tom stated in an interview with Topeka Capital Journalist, Rick Petterson.
Dinkel, a member of the Topeka Shawnee County Sports Council Hall of Fame, remained in the
Cincinnati area once his playing days were over, but he still gets back to Topeka whenever he can.
“It’s so funny because I don’t think there was a day that I went to work where I didn’t pinch
myself saying, ‘Hey, great day to be going to work and playing pro football,’ ” he said. “That was the
attitude I had and I never took the sport for granted.”
“I couldn’t say enough about going to Shawnee Heights,” said Dinkel, part of a state runner-up
basketball team at Heights. “A lot of great memories of Topeka. It’s a great little city.”

Tom Dinkel

1989

Homecoming king, basketball and track superstar, and
football maniac are some of the
many accomplishments Troy
Wilson gathered in high school.
Adding on to that list, Wilson is
also a Super Bowl champion. After
high school Troy attended Pittsburgh State University from 1989 to
1992, helping Pitt State win the 1991
NCAA Division II national championship. Wilson was drafted by
the San Francisco 49ers in the 7th
round (194th overall) of the 1993
NFL Entry Draft.
“The main thing is that I have
been very blessed to be a part
of programs that were always
geared toward winning and ulti-

mately successful
in winning,” Wilson
said.
“I had both sides
of the spectrum
though, because we
didn’t always win.
On the professional
level, the ultimate
goal is to win the
Super Bowl every
year. But it’s hard to
accomplish that on a
yearly basis,” Wilson
told Topeka Capital
Journal.

Troy Wilson
12

Stories by: Brooklyn Armbruster

The Totem | February 2017 | Alumni

After high school, Gary Woodland attended
Washburn University on a basketball scholarship,
but left after his freshman year to attend the
University of Kansas on a golf scholarship. He
studied Sociology while at KU. Woodland had
a successful collegiate golf career, winning four
tournaments before turning professional in 2007. At
the end of the 2008 season, he entered the Qualifying
School for the PGA tour, and finished in a tie for 11th,
which was good enough to earn him a full card to play
on the PGA Tour in 2009. In March 2011, Woodland
won his first PGA Tour title. This win secured Woodland a place at the 2011 Master’s tournament and
also elevated him to a career high 53rd in the Official
World Golf Rankings.

2002

Gary Woodland
Photo By: Graham Barfield

2010
Austin Willis went to Emporia State University on a track scholarship and walked on the football
team. Willis red shirted his first year
of college football but the next year
led the team in tackles for special
teams. The next he led the nation
in receiving yards for seven to eight
weeks until he injured his ankle. His
senior year he got the opportunity
to go to a rookie mini-camp with the
Oakland Raiders on a tryout basis.
Willis got signed after the camp

for his first NFL contract. By
the preseason of 2015 he was
picked up by the Buffalo Bills
after a tryout. He was then
released after a concussion
in the three weeks. In 2016
he was signed by the Detroit
Lions and was with the team
until the end of summer work-

Austin Willis
The Totem | February 2017 | Alumni

outs. Since then Willis has not
been signed. Willis did get his
degree from Emporia State
with a Bachelor of Science in
Health Promotion.
“A memorable moment from Shawnee Heights
would be the 4x4 track race
from my senior year,” Willis
said. “I would ask coach Nicks
about that race. If you have a
dream, do whatever it takes to
make that dream come true.
Make the sacrifices and put in
the work even when you don’t
want to. It doesn’t matter
where you come from. If you
do things the right way and
for the right reasons and with
everything you got, you will
never have any regrets.”

1987

Priti Lahkani
Photo by TEDxTopeka

Could you imagine working on feet? Specializing in feet? Going to work to work on feet? Well
Priti Lahkani does just this. Lahkani specializes in
podiatry and is well known for her accomplishments.
Lahkani started out with her own private practice in
1998, and is now a director for the Cerner Corporation.
Lahkani started her education in Topeka,
attending Washburn University and finishing off education at Harvard University School of Public Health
in 2013. Lahkani also gave a speech at TEDxTopeka
in October of 2016 for “Honor Among Women.” She
also is known for her work on Chicago Children’s
Diabetes Week.
Story by:Ryan Berry

Alex Reilly
Reilly attended the University
of Kansas, earned a B.A. in French, and
graduated in 1992. In 2005, Reilly joined
MB Piland in Topeka, KS, an advertising
agency. She has worked there for 12 years
and is now the vice president of advertising. As of now, Reilly does not have any
plans of moving and she expressed she is
happy in her hometown.
“You can’t always plan everything,
you never realize what your hometown
has to offer,” Reilly said. “Topeka is a great
town to live and work in, when you are
involved and contributing, you truly realize
what a great town this is.”
Reilly enjoys everything theatre and
has even directed productions for the
Topeka Civic Theatre. While she isn’t directing or starring, she is helping promote
her daughter’s ballet school, putting
her marketing skills to work.
She highly encourag-

1987

es others to get involved in the
Topeka Civic Theatre.
Along the way, Reilly had many
mentors that helped shape her
into the person she is. Reilly
recalls many teachers and class-

mates from Shawnee
Heights that really
helped her achieve
her goals. Her advice
to high school seniors
isn’t what most would
expect:
“Being involved in
[the] community is
enriching. Before you
leave, get involved,”
Reilly stated.
In 2012, IABC (International Association
of Business Communicators) awarded Reilly
Communicator of the
Year. She also received
the YWCA Women of
Excellence Honoree in
2009.
Story by:Ryan Berry

14
The Totem | February 2017 | School News

As a high schooler, Matthew
Kreger was in band, musicals, and
plays. Kreger sang so much in high
school he decided to go to college at
Baker and then transferred to Webster. He received a master’s from
the University of Houston in vocal
performance. In college, Kreger was
part of the Houston Grand Opera and
traveled around the world singing in
places like Seoul, Tokyo, and Hong
Kong. Kreger also sang in the New
York Philharmonic and at Carnegie

Hall with Paul McCartney. The
only continent Kreger has not
sang on is Antarctica.
Today, Kreger owns Boom
Comics and says owning his own
business is similar to singing opera in that he has independence.
Kreger has a passion for comics
and enjoys embarrassing Dylan
and Anna Pawar.

1986

Story by:Elizabeth Donaldson

Matthew Kreger
Tom
Mitchelll

1974

Shawnee Heights is well known for it’s
theatre accomplishments and highly celebrated
alumni that pursue an interest in theatre. Thomas
Mitchell graduated in 1974, and pursued a degree
in fine arts at Baker University and University of
Nebraska-Lincoln. When asked, Mitchell admitted that the biggest hurdled he faced was just
the industry within itself.
“I feel lucky, because working in theatre
is never the easiest thing, especially in the Midwest,” Mitchell said.
Mitchell felt like Shawnee Heights had
good support for the theatre enthusiasts and
made it easy for him to be active in the music/
drama program. He participated in band, playing
the trumpet and singing on the Choraliers.
Today, Mitchell resides in Urbana-Champaign, Illinois, teaching as a professor of theatre
at the University of Illinois. Mitchell still enjoys
music and sings in his church’s choir.

“I like living in college towns, there are a lot of opportunities,” Mitchell stated.
Currently Mitchell is working on a playwright called “Tennessee Williams.” He hopes to write a book,
putting together five short stories, to bring the story of Tennessee to the public. Mitchell has been working on this for 15 years, and dedicated much of his time to it.
Story by: Ryan Berry

The Totem | February 2017 | Alumni

15

Shawnee Heights Stars
Students and staff win over audience at
annual talent show

From show stopping singing,
to completely original composers,
to a dulcimer hammer performance,
the Shawnee Heights talent show
grabbed the attention of many on
January 27-28. The show had several acts, including a teacher band,
multiple singing acts, Choraliers,
and jazz band.
Senior Sam Miller
not only directed the
show but also performed in multiple
acts. With the
accompany of Mr.
Robert
Doole,
the

16

talent show was able to incorporate an art showing as part of
the show.
“I feel like we have other
students that have talent besides just singers and performers,” Miller said. By including
an art gallery students got the
opportunity to share their talents.
One notable act was
an original composition from
sophomore Orion Martin. Junior
Morgan Shipman also performed
with the school version of her
actual band “The Discount Morgan and the Freemen,” because
the band she typically performs
with is made up of students that
don’t attend SHHS, and were not
allowed to perform. Junior Josh
Goble, a familiar face to the stage,
was accompanied by his dad on
the piano as he sang “Sitting in the
Dock of the Bay,” by Odis Redding.
Phoenix Constantino played the
drums for multiple acts including
a couple rock bands including:
Story and photos by: Elizabeth Hennessey
The Broke Boiiiis. The lead singer, senior Omar De La Torre sang
“Come a Little Closer” by Cage the
Elephant. The Hunger Paines lead
by senior Alexis Paine sang “Seven
Nation Army” by The White Stripes
No one expected the high
school talent show to feature a
teacher band; however, they did
just that. Shawnee Heights’ very
own teachers and faculty made
up the band Bandwidth and
performed a jazzy rendition
of “Soul Man” by the Blues
Brothers.
The Totem | Febrauary 2017 | School News

New Curriculum Bring Confusion to
Enrollment Process
Enrollment for next year begins the first
week of February, and with it more curriculum
changes impacting students. Within the last decade, the math department changed course offerings, and science has completed a similar process
of changing course titles and restructuring how
science is taught at SHHS. Recent state and federal education standards have made the process
confusing for students as faculty and staff work to
adhere to these new rules.
Students are now required to take Science
A one semester. They can then follow up with one
of two options: completing a semester of Science
B, or completing a year of chemistry. In the 20162017 school year, Science A was added to the
required classes for the science curriculum. New
federal and state standards brought about the
change. The Next Generation Science Standards
stated Kansas high schools must incorporate physical, earth, and life science topics into their curriculum for all students.
The new Science A class is focused on
earth science. Students wouldn’t experience any
earth science before they graduated if they took
biology, chemistry, and physics; a traditional path
for many students up until this point.
Chemistry is required for the Kansas Scholars Curriculum. Chemistry or physics is required to
attend one of the six Kansas Regents Universities
which include the University of Kansas, Kansas
State University, Wichita State University, Fort Hays
State University, Pittsburg State University, and
Emporia State University.
Science B is not required to take, but it may
help boost the confidence of those students who
may lack skills in science or math. A student might

The Totem | February 2017 | School News

take Science A and B their sophomore year and
chemistry their junior year. By adding in the Science B section, the students will get an introduction of what they will be learning in chemistry with
physical science standards along with a few earth
standards embedded in.
“I recommend taking Science A and chemistry your sophomore year over Science A and B,”
principal, Mr. West said. “[However] Taking Science
B can benefit students because it allows the student to get a better baseline of skills.”
Science A and B share similar names
although they are not fully related, which leads to
confusion for some students. One is required of
all students, while the other is mainly for students
who need to get a better baseline of skills before
entering chemistry. In fact, all students are required
to take biology and Science A, followed by at least
one and a half additional credits in science before
they graduate.
About seven to eight years ago, the curriculum for mathematics also changed. Before the
curriculum change, students would take algebra
l for a year, geometry the next, and then algebra ll
the year after that. Now, students must take integrated math one, two, and three. By changing the
curriculum, the students were able to learn algebra
and geometry at the same time.
“After taking a whole year off of algebra I
students forgot what they had learned. We would
spend the whole first semester of algebra ll catching up and relearning the material from algebra l,”
math teacher Brad Nicks said of the change.
Story by: Taylor Lincoln and Kortney Michel

17

School News
Every year, sophomores at SHHS complete the Kansas
Communities That Care survey, where they are asked
questions annonymously about their lives as teenagers.
Several drug-related questions prompted surprising results.
At least once
Not at all
31%

69%

16%

“I think students should
have freedom outside of
school and they should
be able to choose what
they do as long as it
isn’t in school.”
- Kolby Jones (11)

On how many
occasions (if any)
have you used
marijuana in your
life?

At least once
Not at all

On how many
occasions (if any)
in the past 30 days
have you used
marijuana?

“I think drug testing is
good because it keeps
people safe, healthy,
and in their right state
of mind.”
-Ashley Price (10)

84%

Easy
Hard
34%

66%

18

“It’s good because
it keeps people safe
from getting high.”
-Alexis Dial (9)

If you wanted to get
some marijuana,
how easy would it
be for you to get
some? (Easy = very
easy or sort of easy,
hard = very hard or
sort of hard)
The Totem | February 2017| School News

Administration Presents Plan to Implement
Student Drug Testing to School Board
The school board is planning to vote
on February 20 to decide whether drug testing
should be implemented in the 2017-2018 school
year. Although the board hasn’t decided to pursue
this decision completely, they have had several
meetings discussing the matter. Over the past
couple months, administration has discussed the
possibility of doing random drug testing at the
middle and high school levels.
“The main goal of these drug tests are to
get negative results,” Principal Ed West said.
The school wants to implement these
tests to decrease the amount of students doing illegal drugs in an unsafe way. Seaman and Hayden
both have had similar numbers in the aspect of
how many high schoolers have tried marijuana at
least once in their lifetime and who have tried it
in the past 30 days, according to a survey taken
last year by sophomores and seniors. Both of
these schools have seen significant improvement
in their numbers following the implementation of
drug testing. The school is starting to look into
companies to provide testing for students. They
have narrowed down to a few that many schools
are using, including the company that provides for
Seaman.
The school board met on January 23 to
discuss the random drug testing policy. The board
had a long discussion with both sides voicing
their opinion. Member Lauren Tice Miller gave the
idea of having a set date where teachers could
learn how to see the warning signs of a student

The Totem | February 2017 | School News

and how to react in this situation. Miller expressed
her opinion that the school already has a drug policy in place and that another one with the same
aspects isn’t necessary. Miller gave reference to
the student handbook with this information. Jason
Shultz, another school board member, also voiced
his opposition to the idea.
The school gave out an anonymous survey
in the 2015-2016 school year to sophomores and
seniors. In the survey taken, 31 percent of students
said that they have tried marijuana at least once
in their lifetime. In the past 30 days, 16 percent
said they have used marijuana. The point of drug
testing is to get these numbers down and give
kids a reason to not do drugs. If there are consequences put into place, students may be deterred
from using. The consequence for a positive test
would be 21 days with no extracurricular activities,
which includes all KSHAA activities. Students with
positive results will also be referred to a prevention and recovery center for an assessment to see
if further action needs to be taken. The student
will also need to take five follow-up drug tests with
a 90-day time period in between to make sure the
student is staying clean.
The board plans to officially vote on the
matter during the February 20 meeting.
Story by: Rachel Etzel and Katie Moison

19

National News

New Year, New President
President Trump Takes Office Amidst
New Policies and Controversies

As President Donald J. Trump took the inaugural oath Friday, January 20, he delivered a speech
filled with hopefulness and promises of rebuilding
the nation to be stronger and better in the eyes
of the world. As Trump finished his inaugural
oath, the crowd was filled with cheers of
excitement and praise, as well as boos and
disappointment from protestors. Following the inauguration, protests across
the nation were sparked, including the
Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s March the following day.
With the inauguration comes
the final cabinet approval hearings,
where Trump sparked controversy
with his Environmental Protection
Agency (E.P.A), secretary of state,
and education cabinet picks. Scott
Pruitt, Rex Tillerson, and Betsy DeVos
had questions raised about possible
conflicts of interests and experience
in the field.
However, supporters are excited
that Trump pledged to put America first
during his presidency. During his inaugural address, he pledged to not let other
countries take advantage of America and
to return control of the country to its people.
One of the many excutive orders he signed
in the last week was a ban on immigrants from
countries often associated with Islamic extremists.
The order made travel extremely difficult even for
those holding green cards and valid visas, but some
argued it was a step to protect America from potential terrorist attacks. Story by: Kennan Talyor

20

Photos courtesy of: wikimedia

The Totem | February 2017 | School News

B

lack History
Month originally started
out as a week-long observation during the love for their skin color and pride for their background.
Black Student Union is one of the clubs offered at
second week of February, to remember the
Shawnee Heights that gives student of color a place to go
history and accomplishments of African
Americans. The whole purpose of Black His- and talk about the difficult situations they face.
“We do talk about Black History Month,” Alona
tory Month is to celebrate the accomplish-
ments, and recognize the struggle of African Harrison, BSU president, said. “In meetings, dependent
American people throughout history.
on our upcoming activities, we will talk about plans, activ
In recent years, African Americans
ities to participate in within the communities, and things
have been spreading their appreciation be- pertaining to the organization...Many of our field trips
yond the month of February, in the belief that help us to deal with and talk through problems the Black
you should celebrate your history and your community faces.”
skin color every month of the year. On social
BSU also gives students of color a place where
media, hashtags such as #BlackExcellence,
they can freely talk about what it’s like to be a person of
#Melanin, and #BlackGirlMagic are used as
color.
a way to express pride in the color of their
“We talk about being proud of the rich heritage of
skin. They are also used as a sort of window
to break through negative stereotypes and African American, and focus less on skin color because
African Americans come in many shades, ranging from
show the world what they can achieve.
Worldwide “Blackouts” also occur
the lightest of hues to the darkest,” Harrison said. “It
throughout all social media, most popularly helps Students by empowering them to voice their conon Tumblr. A “Blackout” is where African
cerns and opinions about their community.”
Americans post pictures of themselves that
Story by: Logan Bissell
make them feel confident as a way to show

To some, bowling is just a sport, but to others bowling is much different: it’s one of their favorite
things to do.
“My favorite thing about bowling is being able to travel all around the country for tournaments,
and getting to meet so many people as well as making new friends,” junior Nathan Mercer said.
Breaking two school records in the process, Mercer bowled a perfect game on Monday, Jan. 23,
at the Manhattan tournament. He bowled his sixth 300 game as well as a 759 series.
Both the boys and the girls varsity teams have excelled at recent meets. The girls brought home
a significant sweep of the Lawrence Invitational bringing home a first place team plaque, while the boys
have brought home first place at six meets. Both girls and boys have placed first at every meet except
one.
“My favorite thing about bowling is the people I meet doing it,” sophomore Cayla Bortz said. “Also,
I love the people I’m bowling with, I would do anything for my team, they are my family.”
Being one of the top bowlers doesn’t just mean you have authority over everyone, it also means
you have to step up and help the rest of the team. Different bowlers have different perspectives on what
it’s like to be at the top.
“It means that I have put in the hard work it takes but it also means I have to set examples of
teamwork and concentration,” senior Abby Duensing said.
The bowlers work harder and harder every time whether it be at practice or a competition to
better themselves.
“I will practice more and focus more on my techniques to better my game, I also will work harder to become a better bowler” junior Alex Pheigaru said.
The bowling team will continue their hard work and effort as the season continues in hopes of
winning more meets.
Story by: Bradyn Smith

22

The Totem | February 2017 | Sports

Pin to Win

Stickelman and Patterson surpass 100 career
wins
For Shawnee Heights
wrestlers, being part of the wrestling team is more than just a sport
and something that goes on your
letterman jacket. It means you are
apart of a family that is always
there for you. Despite being an
individual sport, each teammate
bonds through tough workouts and
hard competition.
“They’re like my brothers,
I’ll always have their backs,” junior,
Chase Reynolds said.
Recently, two wrestlers, juniors Barrett Stickelman and Jake
Patterson, surpassed 100 career

The Totem | February 2017 | Sports

wins. Reynolds was named Outstanding Wrestler of Wichita North’s tournament.
Since 2005, Coach Chad Parks
has brought 122 state qualifiers and
seven state champions. Coach Parks
wrestled for 21 years and has been a
wrestling coach for 15 years.
After beating Mill Valley, ranked
number three in 5A class, and Seaman,
on Wednesday, January 19, Shawnee
Heights now has a record of 9-3.
“There is no entitlement in
wrestling, you have to earn it every
time,” Coach Parks said.
Story by: Rebecca Donaldson

23

Trey Brown
takes a shot
at the basket
while playing
Bonner Springs.
Photo by: Kileigh
McGillivray

Thunderbirds break 100 points versus the accomplished
Hayden Wildcats, winning 100-85
On January 20-23 the T-Bird’s basketball team participated in the Ralph Miller Classic in Chanute, KS. The boys took
home a first place title, but the road getting there wasn’t easy.
The Thunderbirds took on the Winfield Pirates with a score of
78-66 for their first win of the tournament.
“After our first game I was happy we won but I knew
we would play a lot better teams so we really had to concentrate and focus on our goal,” senior Jesse Moss said.
The next day the T-Birds played the Leavenworth Pioneers winning 45-35 advancing them to the championship
game to play the Emporia Spartans.
“We had a lot of energy not only on the court but on
the bench which helped us get to the championship,” senior
Poncho Freeman said.
Freeman lead the team with 18 points and Moss followed close behind with 10 points, helping them defeat the
Spartans with a 65-50 win.
“It felt great to win the tournament. We haven’t won
the tournament since my sophomore year so it was exciting to
win it again,” Freeman said.

24

Coming off the first place
tournament trophy, the Thunderbirds
faced tough competition at Hayden on
Wednesday, Jan. 25. Although the wildcats have elite athletes being recruited
by top programs, the T-Birds defeated
them 100-85. Senior Trey Brown lead
Heights with 34 points.
“It felt good to hit 100 and our
team was really clicking on offense. We
shared the ball really well and they had
a hard time guarding us,” Brown said.
The Thunderbirds haven’t broken 100 since 1991, so hitting 100 was a
big accomplishment in their eyes.
“The crowd kept us going and
they started to push us when we were
close to getting 100. We didn’t let anything get to us,” Brown said.
Story by: Alyssa Rabe

The Totem | February 2017 | Sports

Everything is Bigger in Texas

The T-Bird cheer team takes third place in Dallas, TX at
NCA Nationals

The Shawnee Heights cheer team was given the
opportunity to go to cheer nationals once again this year.
The team traveled to Dallas, Texas for nationals from January 20-23. Last year’s nationals team was made up of 35
cheerleaders, this year they only had 15 on the team.
“This year the team has gotten smaller because
we changed the division that we are competing in - in
the past we have competed in a division that allowed us
to have 30 on the floor. This year we are competing in a
division that the max number on the floor is 16,” cheer
coach Morgan Whitney said. The team has changed their
division from large advanced game time performance to
small advanced game time performance. The cheerleaders were judged on creativity, stunting, technique and
tossing. They were also judged on jumps and body positions. Every cheer team that wants to go into the NCA
Nationals have to be accepted.
“We make up our own routine and then send in a
bid tape,” senior Layla Goodlow said. They put together a
cheer routine, recorded it, and sent it in to get accepted.
Last year the team placed seventh in large ad-

vanced game day, fifth in large time out
cheer, and sixth in large time fight song.
This year the cheer team placed third in
advanced performance game time with a
score of 92.06 out of 100, thirteen in medium high school fight song, and 10th in time
out cheer.
“My favorite part about nationals
was bonding with my team and getting to
know my new coach. It was really fun,” junior Jayden Price said.
Throughout the weekend the team
got to adventure out in Dallas. They had the
opportunity to watch other teams perform
and bond with their team by going to the
mall together, and getting each other ready
to perform by doing each others hair and
makeup.
Story by: Sierra Jones

This stunt group takes a
picture while getting their hair
and makeup ready to perform.
Photo by: Maddie Good

The Totem | February 2017 | Sports

25

Saving for
college?
Guidance and support can make a big
difference, especially when it comes to
planning for a child’s higher education.
Contact me to discuss creating your
personal education funding plan.

Interested in advertising with us?
Call us at (785) 730-5150 or
visit thetotem.net

26

The Totem | February 2017 | Ads

Opinion

Spirit Week Transforming

Rewind to two years ago: at 7:45 a.m.,
you walk through the south wing doors on the
morning of Spirit Night and the halls are filled
with red and blue. Streamers are hanging from
the ceiling, music is blasting, and an overall
energetic vibe is felt all throughout the school.
This was my very first experience of the beautiful, chaotic, and just plain fun spirit week.
Fast forward to the present: I am now a
junior and have experienced five spirit weeks
(including fall and winter) and it seems to
me that each time the celebratory week rolls
around, there are new rules and limitations as
to what we can do, leading to a lack of school
spirit and participation.
Changes within the last three years
have declined the excitement surrounding
these moments in high school where the
lasting memories are made. The 50 percent
decrease in annual pep assemblies, removal of
the benches, rules against decorating the hallways, and even the restriction for each class
to choose their own theme for Spirit Night has
changed the overall dynamics of the week.
Now many students choose not to participate
in the dress up days, and some are skipping
out on the crowning ceremony during King &
Queen of Courts.
The whole purpose of spirit week is
to promote school spirit and give students a
break from the everyday routine. We are given
these weeks to have fun even in the midst of
normal school activities, and it makes for a
richer high school experience that goes beyond
the classroom.
These weeks are a chance for the student body and faculty/staff to come together
and have fun in unity. In the relaxed and spirited atmosphere, students get the chance to
connect with teachers and administrators in
a fun and unique way, rather than the typical
The Totem | February 2017 | Opinion

balancing act between authority and rebellion..
When staff participate in games versus
candidates, or surprise the entire school with a
secret dance, there’s a special connection that
can’t happen any other time of the year. Yet,
even that is being threatened as the district
recently discussed banning teachers from participating in physical games versus students
because of the insurance liability it can cause
with potential injuries.
I think we have to go back to the purpose of spirit weeks and do everything we can
to increase school morale and pride in Shawnee Heights through these celebrations. Instead of the answer always being, “No,” the answer could be, “Let’s figure out a way to make
this work.” I think if club sponsors, administrators, and student leaders were willing to come
together and focus on increasing school spirit,
we could come up with compromises and new
ways to build memories at our school.
Since we have decreased the amount
of pep assemblies that we get each year, a
bigger pep assembly at the end of Spirit Week
with skits by the basketball teams, games with
candidates and staff, and even door prizes for
the most spirited students could potentially
help pump students up and get more people to
come to the crowning ceremony at the football
or basketball game. Perhaps having designated hallways or sections of the school for each
class to decorate could be reinstated, with an
agreement that a student-lead cleaning crew
would take care of the mess at the end of the
week is a potential negotiation. Going back to
all of the old traditions isn’t what I’m looking
for, but making new traditions that will lead to
memories with my class should be a priority
rather than a drag.
Story by: Valeri Dodds

27

CATCH
OF
THE MONTH

Q: What are your hobbies?
A: I like skateboarding, nature walks, video games,
having deep conversations, night drives, and
hanging out with my sister and the homies.
Q: What’s your special talent?
A: I have a great fashion sense.
Q: What’s something people don’t know
about you?
A: I’m a master chef and I want
to move to Colorado.
Q: What do you look for in a
significant other?
A: That they’re truthful.
Q: What are three things you
can’t live without?
A: My sister, mother, and
running water.
Q: Describe your perfect date.
A: Middle of no where, at night,
where we can chill and look at
the stars.
Q: What’s something about you that
stands out?
A: My eyeballs.

Q: What are your hobbies?
A: I like to listen to music.
Q: What’s your special talent?
A: I can move my ears.
Q: What’s something people don’t know

ANTHON
CANADYY
SENIOR

about you?
A: I’m smart on the inside.
Q: What do you look for in a significant other?
A: Someone I can chill with and
connect with on a personal level.
Q: What are three things you
can’t live without?
A: My phone, my friends, and my
family.
Q: Describe your perfect date.
A: Go on an adventure and explore.
Q: What’s something about you that
stands out?
A: I enjoy making people happy, and
my hair.

Q: What are your hobbies?
A: I like playing video games,, reading, collecting

OSCAR
HO
SOP RAK
HOMOR

E

28

quarters, and playing the clarinet.
Q: What’s your special talent?
A: Procrastination.
Q: What’s something people don’t know
about you?
A: I was named after a boxer.
Q: What do you look for in a
significant other?
A: A similar personality.
Q: What are three things you
can’t live without?
A: Food, electricity, and books.
Q: Describe your perfect date.
A: A relaxing evening, having fun.
Q: What’s something about you that
stands out?
A: I’m good at puns.

Y
BRADELNESHIP
BLANJKUNIOR

Q: What are your hobbies?
A: Playing sports and working out.
Q: What’s your special talent?
A: Water bottle flipping.
Q: What’s something people don’t

JOSHRURAA
YBFARESHMAN

know about you?
A: I’m nice.
Q: What do you look for in a
significant other?
A: A good personality.
Q: What are three things you
can’t live without?
A: Family, food, and internet.
Q: Describe your perfect date.
A: A walk on the beach.
Q: What’s something about you
that stands out?
A: My sense of humor.

Q: What are your hobbies?
A: I like to cheer, sing, go to church, and read good books.
Q: What’s your special talent?
A: Singing.
Q: What’s something people don’t know

LA
GOODYLLOAW
SENIOR

about you?
A: I’m really funny.
Q: What do you look for in a significant other?
A: Tall, a good smile
and laugh, nice, and
LOYAL!
Q: What are three
things you can’t live
without?
A: My phone, my glasses or contacts, and my family.
Q: Describe your perfect date.
A: A drive-in movie.
Q: What’s something about you that
stands out?
A: My really big curly hair.

Q: What are your hobbies?
A: I like drawing, writing, video games, sleeping, nature trail walking,
rock climbing, and camping.
Q: What’s your special talent?
A: I’m a great writer.
Q: What’s something people don’t know about you?
A: I’ve never had a nose bleed before.
Q: What do you look for in a significant other?
A: Someone who’s nice, and has a good
personality.
Q: What are three things you
can’t live without?
A: The internet, writing
utensils, and paper.
Q: Describe your perfect
date.
A: Walking down a nature trail, and
being ourselves.
Q: What’s something about you that
stands out?
SOPHOM
ORE A: My pink hair.

SAFFRON
GUTIERR
EZ

The Totem | February 2017 | Entertainment

Q: What are your hobbies?
A: I like cuddling with my cats, doing forensics and
debate, crying over trig, and slow walks on the beach.
Q: What’s your special talent?
A: My inability to get a boyfriend.
Q: What’s something people don’t know
about you?
A: I hate caramel, I’m scared of peacock, and love Parks & Rec.
Q: What do you look for in a
significant other?
A: Intelligent, nice, a
sense of humor, and
respectful.
Q: What are three things
you can’t live without?
A: My cat, my phone, and my
family.
Q: Describe your perfect date.
A: A dinner at Chili’s or Tortilla
Jacks, and a Parks & Rec. marathon.
R
Q: What’s something about you that
JUNIO
stands out?
A: I’m really outgoing, and I never give
up.

KAYLOAN
BENS

Q: What are your hobbies?
A: I like reading and scrolling on Tumblr.
Q: What’s your special talent?
A: Spinning flags.
Q: What’s something people don’t know
about you?
A: I’m allergic to basically everything.
Q: What do you look for in a significant other?
A: Intelligence.
Q: What are three things you
can’t live without?
A: Books, music, and
food.
Q: Describe your perfect
N
A
date.
M
FRESH
A: Being surprised.
Q: What’s something about you
that stands out?
A: I can be quite loud when people
think I’m quiet.

ANNEANT
VINC

29

Meet
Your

Candidates

Joe Weigel
“I went to the
inauguration”

The 2016-2017 King and
Queen of Courts candidates

“I have a pet snake
named Navaro”

Pheonix Constantino

Cole Emerson
“I wrestle land sharks
in my spare time”

Keegan Bowman

Jarrett Pitman

“I can make fun and
spicy memes”

“I do yoga and am
currently training to
be an instructor”

Dolci Towle

Lauren Robinson

“I can’t be in the sun”

“I’m very shy”

Faith Rottinghaus
“My favorite food is
spotzen”

Kirsten Johnson

Bailey Lincoln

“Dolphins are my
favorite animal”

“I used to have an
outie belly button but
I don’t anymore”

30

The Totem | February 2017 | Entertainment

Totem Trivia

Name____________________ Grade____
Fill this out correctly and bring it to the newspaper
room (S408) for your chance to win a prize!

Created with TheTeachersCorner.net
Crossword Puzzle Generator

Across:
1. The god of desire, with a
bow and arrow
3. Used as a term of endearment
9. The act of wooing someone
10. The god of love, son of
Aphrodite
12. A major sporting event
that takes place on February
fifth

14. Gave the famous ‘I
Have A Dream’ speech
15. Widely recognized
third-century Roman saint
commemorated on February 14th
19. First African American
president
21. February is the
________ month
22. Hugs and ______
23. A sweet treat

The Totem | February 2017 | Entertainment

Down:
16. Zodiac sign for Janu2. Zodiac sign for february 19th
ary 20th through the 18th
through March 20th
17. Birthstone for February
4. She led the underground rail18. This woman would not
road
get off of the bus
5. Juliet’s lover
20. A prickly red flower
6. February 14th
7. A holiday celebrating our leaders
8. These come in heart shaped
boxes
11. B____ H______ month
13. We have this every four years